LED TV providing RF interference?

By utilizing a RCA-headphone jack I was able to connect the headphones directly into the headphone output on the TV and the headphones work fine. Therefore the issue must be with the converter or the digital output format of the TV. Frankly that's a little above my pay grade, but I'm going to give it a shot. I know, or at least believe, the digital output is enabled. When the optical cable is plugged into the digital output port I can see a red beam in the opposite end of the cable. I've searched several times and can't find a toggle on the audio menu that allows to enable/disable the digital output. I'll also look to see if there's a method of selecting a particular digital audio output. Thanks for the replies.

vermilye wrote:

8ntw8tn wrote:
I have a set of Sennheiser remote headphones that I use so I can hear the TV better. My TV in the sticks & bricks is an older LCD type and the headphones work just great. It uses the composite type connections. The TV in our rig is a 2-3 year old LED type. It does not have composite connections so I purchased a device that converts the digital output to composite. As I adjust the frequency to the "sweet spot" the static disappears but all I get is silence.

I suspect the LED TV is emitting an RF signal that is blocking the signal from the Sennheiser transmitter to the headphones. Could this be the case or am I way off base? Thanks for your replies.

LEDs that have built in voltage regulators can cause RFI to the point where they blank TVs, so it is possible that they are causing your problem. The solution is to either purchase LEDs with better engineered voltage regulators, or buy LEDs that have no regulation. You run the chance of burning out an LED while your batteries are being equalized (at 15+ volts) but the non regulated LEDs are inexpensive enough that if it happens, just replace it. I have non regulated direct from China at $2.00 each LEDs in some fixtures, and haven't lost one yet...

Umm. The OP is talking about a LCD TV which has LED BACKLIGHTS, not LED lights used in a lighting fixture. Big difference.

It IS possible that the TV backlights OR even other electronics INSIDE the TV are causing INTERFERENCE with the Wireless headphones.

HOWEVER, since the OPs TV does not have a audio LINE OUT they had to buy a DIGITAL AUDIO CONVERTER to feed the headphone transmitter.

The OPs issue could be twofold.. Interference from the TV OR the optical digital output on the TV is not setup correctly for the optical to analog interface adapter.

To test for interference the OP could use a DIFFERENT ANALOG AUDIO SOURCE like a portable CD/MP3/FM type of unit to feed the headphone transmitter (not using the digital to analog converter).

Placing the transmitter at the TV, if you get audio on the headphones then interference from the TV is ruled out and then it would be an issue with the audio converter or TV setup.

If no audio with the test setup then the TV is causing interference with the headphones, only remedy there would be to replace the TV or try a different brand of wireless headphones..

To troubleshoot the audio converter, did you enable the data output on the TV? The digital output on the TV may not be defaulted as "on", check the TV audio menu to ensure the digital output is indeed enabled.

You will also need to find out EXACTLY what data format the converter will accept, the digital output will have multiple configurations for the data it can send (2 channel stereo to full surround).

Once you know what the converter needs or accepts you will need to go into your TVs audio menu and set it to the exact data format the converter requires.

If all the troubleshooting fails and it is not the converter or digital output settings then you may need to ask for a replacement converter (IE faulty new converter).

Not likely, However possible. Sounds more to me like your Digital->analog audio converter is not converting. This is the kind of thing I check out in person however, not good enough for remote'
To test... Depending on the digital-Analog converter you need an amplified speaker and a mono-RCA to Mini Phone plug cable from Radio Shack. (I use other hardware but works the same way)

Connect amplifed speaker to Converter out and see if there is any sound there.

Option 2: You may need to enable the digital out on the TV

otption 3: It may not be a digital OUT on the tv.. Just an IN.

I had a similar issue and found that there are at least two digital audio out protocols and the digital to RCA converter I bought was not designed for the digital output Samsung put out.
I ended up using the Samsung line-out output and my Sennheiser earphones worked fine with it.

8ntw8tn wrote:
I have a set of Sennheiser remote headphones that I use so I can hear the TV better. My TV in the sticks & bricks is an older LCD type and the headphones work just great. It uses the composite type connections. The TV in our rig is a 2-3 year old LED type. It does not have composite connections so I purchased a device that converts the digital output to composite. As I adjust the frequency to the "sweet spot" the static disappears but all I get is silence.

I suspect the LED TV is emitting an RF signal that is blocking the signal from the Sennheiser transmitter to the headphones. Could this be the case or am I way off base? Thanks for your replies.

LEDs that have built in voltage regulators can cause RFI to the point where they blank TVs, so it is possible that they are causing your problem. The solution is to either purchase LEDs with better engineered voltage regulators, or buy LEDs that have no regulation. You run the chance of burning out an LED while your batteries are being equalized (at 15+ volts) but the non regulated LEDs are inexpensive enough that if it happens, just replace it. I have non regulated direct from China at $2.00 each LEDs in some fixtures, and haven't lost one yet...